The Effect of Sociometric Status, Cooperative Learning, and Traditional Learning among Junior High Students on English Academic Performance,Social Anxiety, Achievement Motivation, and Attribution
This research aims to study the effect of sociometric status, cooperative learning, and traditional learning among junior high students on their English academic performance, social anxiety, achievement motivation, and attribution. A total of 1571 students in Taiwan participated in this survey study using social anxiety questionnaire, English achievement motivation questionnaire, and attribution questionnaire. The study used a two-factor experimental design, with the second graders of junior high students as the target of the study, in two different classes with different leaning contexts. Data were analyzed using a two-way ANCOVA on English academic performance, social anxiety, achievement motivation, attribution, and social status. The results are as follows: (a) students in the cooperative learning context showed better academic performance and less social anxiety than those in the traditional context, (b) students with higher English achievement motivation had higher negative evaluation anxiety and lower social context anxiety, (c) junior high girls showed more anxiety than boys when facing criticism. Boys, however, showed more anxiety in the social context. Girls showed higher English achievement motivation than boys. Based on the findings, suggestions are provided on teaching, counseling, and future research.